Street Tacoshttp://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashx(c) Roadfood.com Discussion Board30Re:Street Tacos (DadsDogs) <blockquote class="quote"><span class="original">Lonestar Dogs</span> <br> <br> Wow! So many great thoughts and assistance! - If I do manage to get tacos on the cart I will want to stick with street tacos a much more authentic Mexican experience. The thought of determining the exact amount and using a scoop to ensure uniformity works! I love that! The meat I'm looking at is <font style="background-color: #ffff00;">strips of skirt steak</font>, cubes of chicken, strips of pork. No ground stuff. I'll keep all of my dogs certainly! Even so, I have both a grill and a griddle on the cart. Using the griddle to warm up tortillas and meat is where I was at mentally on this. I've got space at the moment for 1 1/3 pan or of course 2 1/6 pans which I'm thinkin will work out fine. If nothing else offer only beef and chicken to begin. <br> <br> Chasendad - I'm still real new to this whole endeavor. I've got one client 3 days a week in the industrial area west of 35 and Meacham BLVD just south of north 820. I WISH I could find a spot for selling to the public but ya gotta start somewhere no? <br> </blockquote><br> &nbsp;<br> Skirt steak...sounds like fajita tacos (add a little onion and some red and yellow bell pepper). &nbsp;Yummy. &nbsp;DD<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/729090Wed, 06 Feb 2013 06:25:59 GMTRe:Street Tacos (jcheese) @ 6.50 a lb you are pretty close to retail.<br> &nbsp;<br> I guess it is retail, seeing as it's totally prepared for him. There is a lot of value in having it ready to go, just pick up. Depends on how much time, labor and hassle to make your own you wanna invest.<br> Although I'm a DIY guy, a tried and true recipe is not a bad idea, at least until you think you can do better.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/729028Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:25:22 GMTRe:Street Tacos (hella good tacos) all i do is tacos.<br> &nbsp;<br> @ 6.50 a lb you are pretty close to retail.<br> &nbsp;<br> My beef runs me 2.60-3.50 a lb depending on the season, Pork is usually 1.69 a lb. &nbsp;Chicken .99 a lb (with bones). &nbsp; I charge 2.25 a taco (.25 covers sales tax). &nbsp;My margin is pretty slim at that price using about 1.5- 2 oz of meat per taco.<br> &nbsp;<br> you may want to consider learning how to prep the stuff on your own.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728974Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:26:00 GMTRe:Street Tacos (Lonestar Dogs) Wow! So many great thoughts and assistance! - If I do manage to get tacos on the cart I will want to stick with street tacos a much more authentic Mexican experience. The thought of determining the exact amount and using a scoop to ensure uniformity works! I love that! The meat I'm looking at is strips of skirt steak, cubes of chicken, strips of pork. No ground stuff. I'll keep all of my dogs certainly! Even so, I have both a grill and a griddle on the cart. Using the griddle to warm up tortillas and meat is where I was at mentally on this. I've got space at the moment for 1 1/3 pan or of course 2 1/6 pans which I'm thinkin will work out fine. If nothing else offer only beef and chicken to begin.<br> &nbsp;<br> Chasendad - I'm still real new to this whole endeavor. I've got one client 3 days a week in the industrial area west of 35 and Meacham BLVD just south of north 820. I WISH I could find a spot for selling to the public but ya gotta start somewhere no?<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728747Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:18:37 GMTRe:Street Tacos (chasendad) Lonestar- where do you setup at??? I'm in Burleson and the wife and I like to try everyones food..<br> &nbsp;<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728695Sun, 03 Feb 2013 22:25:46 GMTRe:Street Tacos (jcheese) A few more thoughts.....<br> If yer still gonna sell dogs, how many pans will you have available? Might wanna stick to the basic beef at first. Actually, you might create a "Taco Dog". Taco stuff on a dog. Or a "Walkin' Taco" A bag of chips, cut open longways and topped with whatever you got.<br> Define your expected customers. Latinos that want the real thing and/or Gringos that may want things Americanized. Gringos may want cheese, sour cream, lettuce and/or tomato. This could evolve as you progress.<br> If you have garden space, try to grow as much as possible. I love telling people that the peppers in their chili were still growing this morning.<br> And learn some basic Spanish (there's an App for that). It shows respect and is a way to make friends. The Latino community is usually pretty closeknit. They WILL spread the word, if your food is good and they feel comfortable with you.<br> &nbsp;<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728670Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:26:41 GMTRe:Street Tacos (pnwchef) Check out Birria shredded beef&nbsp;in a Mexican Mkt hot food court. The meat is real tender and shreds easy. This could sit on your steam line and used for the taco's as needed.............Carnitas is another one that can sit in liquid, put on the grill to crisp, top and serve as a taco.................. Birria de Chivo ( Goat) is in a liquid also and can be served line any other taco.....one of the best street taco I have had in Mexico has been Chivo, the Taco cart I go to sell out by 1 PM daily........just a few ideas, I hope they help..........Good Luck.......pnwc<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728411Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:49:37 GMTRe:Street Tacos (Tristan225) Amen<blockquote class="quote"><span class="original">jcheese</span> <br> <br> If they don't speak good English, you can count on some good authentic Mexican fare.They probably have secret ingredients or procedures you can't duplicate. <font style="color: #993300;">If you expect Latinos to be a big part of your customers, you gotta be real.</font> Gringos may not notice. Find a translator. Maybe you can use their kitchen as a commisary. <br> Start slow...you don't need Lingua, etc until it's asked for. <br> </blockquote> <br> <br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728361Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:10:10 GMTRe:Street Tacos (jcheese) If they don't speak good English, you can count on some good authentic Mexican fare.They probably have secret ingredients or procedures you can't duplicate. If you expect Latinos to be a big part of your customers, you gotta be real. Gringos may not notice. Find a translator. Maybe you can use their kitchen as a commisary.<br> Start slow...you don't need Lingua, etc until it's asked for.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728359Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:44:34 GMTRe:Street Tacos (Tristan225) Have you got a grill? You could put a Sizzle-Q on it. You could use Steak-Eze at about $3.00 lb.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728277Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:49:21 GMTRe:Street Tacos (BackRhodes) While buying your food from the taqueria initially can get you started, you can cut costs by at least 50% by cooking your own meat... <br>&nbsp; <br>Is it hamburger or shredded beef...??? <br>&nbsp; <br>Cooking good Mexican taco meat is not all that complicated...do you need access to a certified kitchen to cook your own...??? <br>&nbsp;<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728205Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:22:19 GMTRe:Street Tacos (BackRhodes) If you weigh your portions initially, look for a scoop that will produce the same amount, such as an ice cream scoop...<br> &nbsp;<br> As to the language barrier in contacting the taqueria manager for discussions, I'm sure TX is full of bilingual residents that can help...maybe the manager has school age children that can habla English...<br> &nbsp;<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728204Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:18:50 GMTRe:Street Tacos (chefbuba) Weigh out the portion you intend to use, then find a container that the amount weighed fits in and use that for every order. <br>.41oz cost on the meat can get out of hand quickly if your portions are not correct. <br>I weigh all meats, for every order even though I know what the portion looks like/feels like in my hand. It also makes for a consistent product for your customer.http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728195Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:12:58 GMTRe:Street Tacos (Lonestar Dogs) JCheese, yup they do have fresh salsas that I intend to use! The only problem with the mutual promotion is a language barrier. Not trying to be rude in the least but the folks at the Mexican Meat Market where I'll be purchasing speak very little rudimentary english. For now though I'm really liking the idea of adding street tacos to the cart. Next week we're going to get a pound of each meat, the tortillas, and salsas and do a trial run at home on the cart. This will help me in knowing exactly how I need to prepare them, the yield of tacos I get per pound of meat, things of that nature.<br> &nbsp;<br> Really do appreciate everyone's thoughts.<br> &nbsp;<br> ~Lonestar<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728193Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:46:32 GMTRe:Street Tacos (jcheese) See if you can get fresh made salsa from them too. You might be able to work a mutually beneficial deal to promote each other.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728189Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:43:55 GMTRe:Street Tacos (Lonestar Dogs) Well the $6.50 a pound is precooked authentic taco meats from a Taqueria. I'm thinkin we'll yeild about a dozen tacos per pound. Chef Bubba yes, both regular and verde salsas will be offered as well. Appreciate the input folks.<br> &nbsp;<br> ~Lonestar<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728174Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:29:32 GMTRe:Street Tacos (chefbuba) <blockquote class="quote"><span class="original">CCinNJ</span> <br><br>How many tacos will you yield per lb. of meat @ $6.50/lb? <br></blockquote> <br><br>1oz average size taco, 1 1/2oz for a fat taco using 4" tortillas.<br> What about salsa?<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728125Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:35:57 GMTRe:Street Tacos (kennyb) you should be able to do alot better than $6.50 a pound. everything else sounds great.<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728121Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:58:44 GMTRe:Street Tacos (CCinNJ) How many tacos will you yield per lb. of meat @ $6.50/lb?http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728114Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:18:04 GMTStreet Tacos (Lonestar Dogs) Thinking about adding street tacos to the cart. In these parts a street taco is pretty simple. 2 corn tortillas warmed on the griddle, taco meat, onion and cilantro served with a wedge or two of lime. Found a Taqueria where I can by meat pre-cooked for the tacos - beef, pork, chicken, lingua (tongue) at $6.50 a pound.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> As it will be precooked it would only take a minute to warm the tortillas on the griddle adding the meat, onions, cilantro and lime. They'd sell at $2.00 each. Most folks I know that buy street tacos NEVER buy just one. 4 - 6 at a time.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> I'm considering this in addition to the hot dogs. Any thoughts? I'm thinking it would open up to a larger potential customer base as we've a good sized hispanic community.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> ~Lonestar<br>http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/rss-m728112.ashxFindPost/728112Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:58:10 GMT